CF SPORTS

CF to start season ranked No. 1

FILE - In this December 14, 2012 file photo, the College of Central Florida's head coach Tim Ryan celebrates with his team on the bench against Central Georgia Tech during a basketball game at the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Fla. The Patriots are ranked No. 1 in the nation to start the season this year.

Star-Banner Photo/Bruce Ackerman

Courtesy of CF Sports Information

Published: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 10:04 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 10:04 p.m.

The College of Central Florida men's basketball team will start out the season ranked No. 1 in the nation.

The defending national champions are one of four teams from Florida ranked among the top 25 programs in the country in the NJCAA poll on the heels of becoming just the third program from the Sunshine State to win the national title in the 75-year history of the national tournament.

CF hosts Pasco-Hernando on Saturday night at 7:30 in its regular opener.

There will be a ceremony prior to the game at 7:15 honoring last year's national championship squad.

Meanwhile, the Patriots received seven first-place votes and totaled 128 points on their way to earning the No. 1 ranking in the FCSAA State Coaches Poll.

CF earned 14 points more than No. 2 Chipola.

BROWN HONORED: The awards keep rolling in for the College of Central Florida volleyball program.

Brittney Brown, a sophomore middle blocker for the Patriots, was named the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year.

Brown, a verbal commit to UTEP, is a two-year starter for CF and starred in high school at Edison High School in Fresno., Calif.

It marked the third consecutive season that a CF player has been honored with the MFC Player of the Year award. Vanessa Benke earned conference player of the year the previous two seasons for the Patriots.

Brown was joined on the first-team all-conference list by teammates Raven Golston and Marina Adami.

Golston, like Brown a two-year starter for the Patriots, leads the team in kills and digs, while Adami has made an impact at setter as a freshman.

Meanwhile, a pair of CF freshmen made the second-team.

Jorddalys Santos and Ocala's Amanda Saunders were honored by the league's coaches.

CF coach Flavia Siqueira was also honored as the league's coach of the year for the third consecutive season.

Under Siqueira, the Patriots have never lost to a conference opponent.

Up next for CF is the FCSAA State Tournament in Jacksonville on Nov. 8-10. The Patriots will face Indian River to start off the tournament.

From there, CF will face either Miami Dade or FSC-Jacksonville next in the double-elimination tournament.

<p>The College of Central Florida men's basketball team will start out the season ranked No. 1 in the nation.</p><p>The defending national champions are one of four teams from Florida ranked among the top 25 programs in the country in the NJCAA poll on the heels of becoming just the third program from the Sunshine State to win the national title in the 75-year history of the national tournament.</p><p>CF hosts Pasco-Hernando on Saturday night at 7:30 in its regular opener.</p><p>There will be a ceremony prior to the game at 7:15 honoring last year's national championship squad.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Patriots received seven first-place votes and totaled 128 points on their way to earning the No. 1 ranking in the FCSAA State Coaches Poll.</p><p>CF earned 14 points more than No. 2 Chipola.</p><p><b>BROWN HONORED:</b> The awards keep rolling in for the College of Central Florida volleyball program.</p><p>Brittney Brown, a sophomore middle blocker for the Patriots, was named the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year.</p><p>Brown, a verbal commit to UTEP, is a two-year starter for CF and starred in high school at Edison High School in Fresno., Calif.</p><p>It marked the third consecutive season that a CF player has been honored with the MFC Player of the Year award. Vanessa Benke earned conference player of the year the previous two seasons for the Patriots.</p><p>Brown was joined on the first-team all-conference list by teammates Raven Golston and Marina Adami.</p><p>Golston, like Brown a two-year starter for the Patriots, leads the team in kills and digs, while Adami has made an impact at setter as a freshman.</p><p>Meanwhile, a pair of CF freshmen made the second-team.</p><p>Jorddalys Santos and Ocala's Amanda Saunders were honored by the league's coaches.</p><p>CF coach Flavia Siqueira was also honored as the league's coach of the year for the third consecutive season.</p><p>Under Siqueira, the Patriots have never lost to a conference opponent.</p><p>Up next for CF is the FCSAA State Tournament in Jacksonville on Nov. 8-10. The Patriots will face Indian River to start off the tournament.</p><p>From there, CF will face either Miami Dade or FSC-Jacksonville next in the double-elimination tournament.</p>